Can't teach an old dog new tricks
by lizzieBdarcy
Summary: Just a little oneshot, in which Scarlet learns of a new way to relieve tension in her wolf. I OWN NOTHING


"You're making me must be some job that needs doing."

"Mmm." He reached for another apple chunk, his fifth. Effortlessly, she swatted away the olive hand.

"No more, these are for the pie. Did you-"

"Chores are done. Oiled all the door hinges, changed all the light bulbs in the house and the fixed the groove in the stair." He interrupted. Hands sticky with fruit juice she frowned.

"Go for a run or something."

He shook his head, shaggy hair even more wild than usual due to the outside humidity.

"You don't like when I'm out in the rain." He reminded her.

"Yes well…" She was at a loss.

He glanced in her direction and continued to pace restlessly. Scarlet Benoit sighed, knowing it was no use and continued to peel apples for their treat after supper. As much as she cared for the young man, there were times when he drove her right up the wall. It wasn't Wolf's fault, those animal instincts were ingrained into his very being. What with the rainy season being upon them, more often than nought he was cooped up and bored out of his mind. Being on a farm, there was loads of chores to be done but bad storms sometimes meant repair work and staying inside. Which meant a grouchy Wolf and a sorely tried Scarlet. Trying not to let her tone grow too sharp, she gnawed a bit of green peel.

"Was this important?"

Distracted by not losing limbs when slicing the apples, she paused and looked up now. Somehow or another, Wolf had managed to drop a plate. It was blue seaglass, one of her favorites and a piece her grandmother had found somewhere in the market once upon a time. He'd caught it at the last second, or so she assumed, because she hadn't heard the glass shatter. No, it just cracked from the rough handling and then crumbled to pieces in his hands.

"Wolf…."

"Scar-"

Even with his enhanced abilities, he only just made it out the door unharmed.

 **It was around this time that Scarlet decided he needed something to burn off his extra energy.** At the very least, if he couldn't tire his body out physically than perhaps he could find something to keep him preoccupied.

She hadn't been giving him the silent treatment exactly, but she wasn't eager to share a bed either. The problem was, he was far too good at giving her sad puppy eyes when he needed to. He would walk around, head hanging and large mopey eyes looking as though they could burst into big fat crocodile tears at any second.

She wasn't heartless, she knew he hadn't meant to break the plate. When she found him in the barn a day later, tossing hay to the horses and proverbial tail between his legs, she decided enough was enough.

"C'mere already." She huffed, letting him scoop her into an apologetic hug. He nosed into the crook of her neck, the keening sound he'd been whining out since yesterday finally ceasing and some of the tension leaving his body.

"M'sorry. I'll get you a new one." He promised. She shook her head. "Forget it. There's something else I wanna do." His head tilted, open face curious. Part of her was surprised one ear didn't fold over in the typical dog like way he had about him. Smiling at the thought, she moved to one of the stalls that was used for storage and searched about, sneezing at the dust that rose.

"What're you looking for?" He asked, trailing behind. "I wanted to.. Aha!" With a cry of triumph, she held aloft her prize: A rubber ball, the same shade of red as her fiery locks.

Still frowning curiously, he sat on a large bed of hay, arms propped up on his knees and chin resting on his forearms. "It's a children's toy." She nodded, tossing it in the air happily. Miraculously, the air had not seeped out overtime.

"A ball, yeah. Come on."

Now he was openly confused.

"Come on and… do what, exactly?"

She tossed it overhead again, catching it in one hand and looking incredibly pleased with herself.

"Come on and let's play catch. It's raining anyway, so it's not like we can go out."

His brow furrowed, hands tightening into a fist and opening yet again.

"I don't… understand. You want me to- are you going to run and I follow or are you planning on hiding and then I have to find you..?"

Smile slipping, she returned his frown with one of her own.

"You've never played catch?"

"I don't know."

It was something from the before times, before he'd been taken and before he'd been changed. Memories came back like molasses, trickling in with unexpected droplets that oozed forth when you were the least prepared. Taking this in stride, she smiled kindly.

"Than no time like the present to learn. It's easy. You throw the ball to a person, and they catch it. Then they throw it back. You can try to hit targets or catch it before it bounces, or just toss it back and forth if you want." She explained. He considered this, then rose.

"Simple enough."

"Yeah, exactly. Here, I'll toss it nice and easy and you catch. Eyes on the ball." She encouraged him. He nodded once, body tense and waiting.

Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been _that._

One second, the ball was in the air, the next, he was jumping up and catching it in his teeth. Even more surprisingly, the ball didn't pop. Instead, he trotted back over and dropped it into her waiting hand, seeming as shocked as she was.

"You.. well.. I mean you caught it." Scarlet managed. He nodded, looking a little more interested than before.

"I didn't think I would. Try throwing it farther." He suggested.

"Okay…" Wiping the ball of on her sleeve, Scarlet decided to try and give him a little challenge. WInding up, she let the rubber toy sail across the barn….

Only to be caught in the waiting teeth of Wolf.

It went on like this for sometime, the farther she threw, the happier he seemed to be. He was practically tail wagging by the time her arm had grown tired and try as she might, she couldn't even manage to be grossed out by the saliva on the ball. She didn't have the heart to mention catch was not usually played using one's mouth but also had to resist the urge to pet his head.

"I like this game." He admitted, fangs showing through his small smile.

"I like it too." She agreed.

And if he was being a bit more man-puppyish than usual, neither mentioned it.


End file.
